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Asako
Asako was one of the many human companions of the Kami Shiba. She was the wife of Yogo and the mother of Asako Sagoten. Fires of the Phoenix, by Shawn Carman Joining the Phoenix In the year 30 Asako, as a skilled healer, came to the attention of Shiba. She and her husband Yogo joined the Phoenix Clan. Imperial Histories, p. 15 Isawa's siblings gave her Seido Jurojin, a gesture which honored her dedication to Shiba, Isawa, and the way of peace. She was said to have journeyed alone for a month to find the perfect location for her family's home. Eventually her simple sandals wore down to nothing and Asako was forced to continue through Mori Isawa barefoot until she came upon the place where Kyuden Asako would be built. The path was known as Barefoot Walk. Secrets of the Phoenix, p. 33 War Against Fu Leng Shiba and his friends traveled and conversed frequently in the early days of Rokugan, but that all changed with the coming of Fu Leng. Asako was a healer by training, and at the beginning of the War Against Fu Leng in the year 33, she traveled with Shiba's armies, tending to the wounded and praying for an end to the violence. Asako missed Yogo during the War, as he was in a different unit, fighting the forces of the Shadowlands. Way of the Phoenix, pp. 43-44 Yogo's Curse In the year 36 Imperial Histories, p. 16 her desires to be reunited with him were for naught, however, as during one battle, though the forces of the Phoenix Clan were victorious, Yogo, their general, was cursed by Fu Leng To Change the World, by Rich Wulf to betray the one he most loved. Way of the Phoenix, p. 44 Yogo returned to Kyuden Isawa a corrupted man, his dreams crushed and his future dashed. He was on the verge of requesting seppuku to save his loved ones when the Scorpion Kami, Bayushi, came to him with an offer. Bayushi offered Yogo a place among the Scorpion, where he could be safe because Yogo did not love Bayushi. Yogo accepted and left, never to return to his home or family. Asako was crushed. She left the war and returned home to her son, but she was changed for the worse. She had become a bitter, hopeless woman. Sagoten was affected even more deeply, vowing to avenge his father's cruel abandonment. Before very long, Shiba came to Asako and offered her a place to begin once more, surrounded by friends. Shiba offered Asako his home for her own. Asako graciously accepted and began her new life. Sagoten was less forgiving and harbored his anger and vengance. Shiba's Gift After Shiba left for the Shadowlands, and after the empire believed him dead, the First Phoenix visited Asako, in the year 43. Imperial Histories, p. 17 He was in the body of his son, Shiba Tsuzaki, but the voice and the wisdom were that of Shiba. He told Asako of his final battle, the defeat of the First Oni, and of the words Shinsei spoke to him afterwards. The wisdom Shinsei imparted to Shiba as the Kami lay dying is what allowed him to remain in Ningen-do even after his body had died. This wisdom, Shinsei said, would greatly affect the course of humanity, but not for centuries to come. Shinsei told Shiba so that he could remain and take Shosuro back into Rokugan, and Shiba then told Asako so that her family could guard the secret until it came time for humanity to learn it. The secret given from Shinsei to Shiba to Asako was the knowledge of the Path of Man. Way of the Phoenix, pp. 6-7 Way of the Phoenix, pp. 44-45 Asako's Quest Fueled with Shiba's Gift, Asako began developing methods to teach it to her family. To keep the Path secret, Asako wrote all of her ideas in a secret script and shared the cipher with only those she truly trusted. Asako and her handful of faithful, fully informed followers took the secrets that she wrote and began recruiting those shugenja they believed would help them research their theories. To maintain a public face so they could continue their researches in secret, Asako and her followers remained practicing healers. Asako truly wanted to help the residents of Rokugan, so her efforts in this field were of great importance to her. In addition, as she journeyed on the Path of which Shiba made her aware, her skills at healing improved to a nearly miraculous level. Many believed that she had learned some of her husband's magic before he left. Gisei Toshi Working with the Isawa family, Asako and her family helped build the Imperial Library in Gisei Toshi. Within, they compiled hundreds of volumes of histories about the War Against Fu Leng, everything that came afterward, and all that could be learned of the time before the War. The library prospered under her guidance, and the knowledge that her family collected helped them to care for the world. Way of the Phoenix, p. 85 The Isawa's Exile Somehow, the Isawa family discovered that Asako had some magical knowledge unknown to them. When Asako refused to share Shiba's secret with the Council of Five, she and her family were ejected from Gisei Toshi. Asako, believing it to be best for their studies, left with her followers for the edges of Rokugan. She settled near the Shrine of the Ki-Rin in the northern wilderness of Rokugan, and there her family began in earnest to develop the philosophies unique to their family. Way of the Phoenix, pp. 45-46 Asako's Death Sadly, Asako's death came early after the War. She died when her family was still researching the Path. As such, she was not yet experienced enough to live on with the Fushihai not to ascend to Tengoku. Her death was like any other person's, though it is widely believed among the Asako that she has since been reincarnated and achieved apotheosis. The Ikoma Histories placed her death in the year 57. Winter Court: Kyuden Kakita, p. 87 See also * Asako/Meta Category:Phoenix Clan Leaders